A mother and daughter, part of the trio dubbed the “Angels of Woolwich” after
facing up to the soldier’s killers, have denied being brave, saying “it had
to be done”.

Gemini Donnelly-Martin, 20, and her mother Amanda, 44, said that they walked up to the two attackers and asked if they could comfort Drummer Lee Rigby, who was killed in a savage assault after being stabbed and hacked with a knife and meat cleaver.

Mother and daughter, together with Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, have been praised as heroes, but former Lewisham College student Gemini have brushed aside talk of their bravery.

“We did what anyone would do,” she told the Daily Mirror. “We just wanted to take care of the man. It wasn’t brave. Anyone would have done it. It had to be done. They [the killers] said women could pass.”

She added: “The only thing people need to worry about is that poor man’s mum. We are grateful, though, for what people are saying about us.”

TV footage showed the pair caring for the dead soldier’s body, yards from his attackers, with Amanda kneeling by the body and praying with her daughter by her side, as Michael Adebolajo ranted at the camera.